Mid-day

Mumbai, Feb 18: The police have for the first time disclosed that suspended cop Daya Nayak may have been heavily into cricket betting.

While Nayak’s disproportionate assets case will come up for hearing in the Supreme Court today, the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) is investigating his alleged betting links.

One of the old cases to have cropped up is that of the suicide of Annappa Shetty, owner of Ajit Palace bar at Mira Road, in 2000.

Sources said Shetty was into cricket betting and a good friend of Nayak. But their relationship soured when Shetty lost Rs 1.2 crore on bets. Nayak allegedly threatened to kill him if he did not pay him back.

An ACB officer said, “We know Annappa Shetty used to place bets and had links with Nayak. We are investigating the case and cannot say much about it right now.”

Shetty, who knew that under no circumstances would he be able to return Rs 1.2 crore, allegedly shot himself with a revolver while allegedly drunk. He mentioned Nayak in his suicide note. ACB officials, however, said the post-mortem revealed that Shetty was not drunk when he shot himself.